


Eldritch

by sassafrassing



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dark, F/M, Horror, Original Character(s), Romance, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:15:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29354061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassafrassing/pseuds/sassafrassing
Summary: "There is no death. No life. Only nothing." Something is off about Sakura Haruno and only Kakashi seems to notice. As something all-consuming stalks their way, he can't help but be already all-consumed by her.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Hatake Kakashi
Comments: 20
Kudos: 48





	1. Chapter 1

There was something off about Sakura Haruno.

It had been two years since the Fourth Shinobi World War. Peace reigned across the lands as the alliance initially established to combat the Akatsuki persevered among the five major hidden villages. Most skirmishes remained in rural, unclaimed areas where lawlessness prevailed.

Beneath the shiny veneer of world peace, the dark underbelly filled with drug lords, black market traffickers, and mercenaries continued on with their business as usual. Yet no one had the appetite to seriously intervene. The activities of criminals paled in comparison to the world-ending threat of Kaguya or the celestial shenanigans of Toneri Ōtsutsuki.

It all seemed _normal_. Expectedly _human_.

Business as usual was tolerated after experiencing first-hand events so unsettlingly _abnormal_ and _inhuman_. Only when these factions threatened the safety and bottom line of the hidden villages was action taken.

At least that was the working theory Kakashi had.

He let out a long sigh. Towering stacks of paperwork surrounded him in his office. The harsh fluorescent light buzzed irritatingly above him.

Every day he prayed to Kami that Naruto would quickly take the mantle of Hokage from him. To his credit, Naruto was taking things seriously. Kakashi often sent him on missions as a diplomatic emissary – always accompanied by a disgruntled Shikamaru, and sometimes accompanied by a drunk Tsunade.

Although boisterous and constantly forgoing protocol, Naruto was always well received and productive. He was also diligent with his coursework and attentive during grueling meetings with the village elders, clan leaders, and the daimyō. Occasionally he slacked off to eat ramen with Hinata or spar with Sasuke (whenever he was in town).

Sasuke had been true to his word ( _thankfully_ ) in not causing too much trouble during his journey of repentance. Kakashi received relatively consistent reports from the brooding ninja however intel on Kaguya remained sparse. One could only hazard a guess at how many dimensions existed and the amount of knowledge on Kaguya and her kin that was lost throughout the millennia.

When Sasuke did return to Konoha, it was fleeting. He always formally briefed Kakashi, sparred with Naruto, and joined one meal with Team 7. Inevitably insults would fly, disagreements would break out, dishware and furniture would be destroyed, and Kakashi would end up making his degenerate team (with the exception for Sakura) bow deeply before startled restaurant owners asking for forgiveness. Sasuke would quickly leave afterward for an indefinite period of time.

This logically brought Kakashi back to the topic of Sakura. He spent a fair amount of time with her as she spearheaded efforts to open a mental health clinic for children. She became a permanent fixture in the Hokage tower ever since she drop-kicked his doors open prattling excitedly about her new innovation.

She also defaulted as his unofficial advisor. The years she spent under the tutelage of Tsunade molded her into an incredible asset. Sakura was perceptive, politically savvy, and persuasive. Plus, she could process paperwork ten times faster than he ever could. Kakashi found this out after one day jokingly promising to look at a proposal for her clinic if, and only if, she helped clear his desk. The withering glares and book burning threats were well worth this discovery.

They also spent a lot of casual time with each other.

Late-night meals initially spent reviewing reports devolved into lengthy debates on the merits of _Icha Icha Paradise_ versus _Violence_. Frequent spars kept their skills refined as neither were on the active mission roster anymore. Quiet moments were spent together on top of Hokage mountain overlooking the village whenever Sakura lost a patient.

During the past two years they really got to know one another. And he noticed _curious_ things.

First, Sakura didn't have a social life.

She was always either working at the hospital or in his office. He'd hear gossip about turned down offers to go out with peers, rescheduled hang outs with Naruto or Ino, and rebuffed advances from suitors. The first two points made sense as Sakura had been heavily involved in the Hokage transition, and was highly in demand for complex medical procedures, consumed with the development of her mental health clinic, and tasked with training large classes of new medic nin.

The last point of gossip initially made the most sense as he thought Sakura harbored deep love and affection for Sasuke. Yet even that was questionable as he saw a cooling in Sakura's behavior and temperament toward the Uchiha. Sakura and Sasuke's interactions during those rare Team 7 dinners were friendly. But unmistakably platonic.

No pining. No blushes. No stolen glances.

Kakashi found it odd that she never asked about Sasuke despite knowing he was essentially the only one in consistent contact with him. Whenever Kakashi made a point to bring up Sasuke's whereabouts or wellbeing, Sakura would give him a small nod and smile while saying _'That's good Kakashi-sensei, tell him to stay safe'_ before changing the subject. _Curious._

Second, Sakura was staring into space a lot more frequently.

Kakashi would be mid-sentence going through quarterly mission earnings or goading her with a hot take about Icha Icha and catch her typically vibrant green eyes dull and unresponsive. Almost haunted.

Sakura was normally steadfastly alert and engaged. She was normally the embodiment of warmth and light, and the stark contrast in those moments was unnerving. The room would suddenly feel cold and empty. As if she wasn't really there, just her corporal form.

And he could have sworn sometimes a strange feeling of a deep, dark, enveloping **_despair_** radiated from her. Gravity around her felt oppressively heavier, slowly seeping toward him menacingly. His chest would constrict, and a raw, smoldering heat would settle there. Adrenaline would flood through his body, thundering in his ears, as if he was in imminent danger.

Inwardly he prevented his chakra from flaring. Outwardly he always remained calm and continued to speak evenly on whatever topic they were discussing. He chose to merely take these opportunities to observe.

Kakashi noticed she would quickly snap back to attention with a small shake of her head and a furrow of her brows. The strange feeling would instantly dissipate as she gave him a warm smile before diving back into the conversation with enthusiasm. As if she hadn't noticed. As if nothing happened. _Curious._

Third, Sakura's chakra was… evolving?

In the past, whenever she healed him, her chakra felt cool and almost minty. The sensation was akin to a soothing, unintrusive breeze or a steady stream of water delicately weaving through the body. She also always had just above average chakra capacity, especially when compared to her teammates.

This didn't seem to be the case lately. Every time they sparred her chakra reserves seemed to continuously increase at an unnatural rate. He initially thought she had been refining her chakra control even further, using her reserves with utmost finesse and being prudent with her use of chakra-heavy jutsus.

But their spars were getting lengthier and more... intense. During hour three of their most recent spar, Sakura impressively caught him off guard with a _Doton: Doryūsō no Jutsu_ embedded in a _Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu_ that absolutely decimated Training Field 8.

His ANBU security detail was alarmed at the sudden viable threat to the Hokage's life. Unamused, they _'strongly recommended'_ for the spar to end.

Sakura seemed unfazed as she sat beside him. She proceeded to heal a deep gash along her left bicep while chatting aimlessly about her upcoming hospital shift. There wasn't any exhaustion evident despite her heavy use of A-rank ninjutsus and continuous chakra enhancement of her speed and strength for hours.

Kakashi was always mesmerized when she coaxed cells to regenerate and seamlessly stitched nervous, epithelial, connective, and muscle tissue back together. After stretching and flexing her left arm for good measure, she shifted toward him. Placing both hands above the scorched skin of his right thigh, she began emitting chakra while chatting about a new recipe she wanted to try after she got off her shift.

Kakashi slightly tensed. Her chakra no longer felt comfortably familiar. It felt… hotter? Yet emptier. More intrusive. There was less _her_ in her chakra.

It was a differentiation few would be able to make unless they've been consistently healed by her over the years and had a strong sensory affinity. From civilians to Jonin being treated at the hospital, none would be the wiser. He doubted Naruto would have picked up on it given he spent a lot of time away on missions over the past two years.

But the changes were there. He was sure of it. It didn't make sense. Chakra characteristics were innate. Maximum capacities were innate. They didn't shift dramatically (unless bijuus were added to the equation).

As she finished healing the consequences of her explosive tag, Sakura gave him a light punch to his arm telling him to _'not be so slow next time.'_ Giving him a grin and mocking salute, she strolled away. He could only stare after her. _Curious._

A sudden thud in front of him broke his train of thought. Shizune dropped another large stack of pending paperwork on his desk while giving him a pointed look. As she left his office and gently closed the door behind her, he let out another long sigh.

Yes, there was definitely something off about Sakura Haruno – and it was starting to fill him with dread.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a suspenseful, weird, dark and twisty ride. This is a Sakura/Kakashi story. Thank you so much in advance for reading and I sincerely hope you enjoy!
> 
> Please (!!!) take the time to review if you do enjoy this story. Your reviews are SO appreciated and exceptionally motivating when I experience writer's block (it also prompts me to try to update as soon as possible because I can't keep y'all hanging like that).
> 
> This is a cross-post from my account on FF.net (sassafrassing)
> 
> _Doton: Doryūsō no Jutsu – Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears  
>  Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu – Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique_


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura awoke with a jolt. Unexpectedly drenched in cold sweat, she took panicked, deep gulps of air. Her heart hammered in her chest. Trying to get ahold of her breathing, she shut her eyes and concentrated on mindfully inhaling and exhaling. _In for five seconds._ Hold. _Out for five seconds._ Hold. _Repeat._

She ran a shaky hand through her long, pink tresses. Some strands clung to the side of her face and she quickly tucked them behind her ear. Looking around her office, she realized she had fallen asleep at her desk. Again. Glancing at the clock that hung above her, she saw it was around three in the morning. An otherwise eerie silence was metrically interrupted by the soft ticks of the red second clock hand.

Letting out a soft sigh, she wondered what she could have possibly been dreaming about to elicit such an extreme physiological reaction. Maybe she was pushing herself a little too hard. However, she just got final approval and full funding for her children's mental health clinic. Construction was to begin within the month and the groundbreaking ceremony was to take place next week. Kakashi had promised to be there. In the interim, while construction was taking place, she had received permission to start piloting her program with five children who had been displaced by the war.

It was _well_ worth pushing herself a little bit more.

An uncontrollable yawn erupted from her. She had about six hours before her official shift started. Looking down at the general research notes, open medical textbooks, and half-filled out grant proposals littering her desk, Sakura decided to call it a night and go home. As she stood, she upwardly stretched both arms far above her head and slowly twisted her neck from side to side. Sleeping at her desk was _killing_ her upper back.

She gently patted a vividly bright orange toad figurine that Naruto had gifted her for her last birthday. It was a good luck charm that brightened her otherwise drab, overwhelming desk. Shutting off her office lights and closing the door behind her, Sakura paused. She couldn't actually recall when she had fallen asleep. Or recall what she had been doing before she fell asleep.

 _This_ had been happening more frequently. And by _this_ , she meant the not remembering – the lost time. But given her long list of priorities and constant stress levels, it wasn't abnormal for some cognitive slips here and there. Sakura had taken to writing most things down. Not just her to dos, but her thoughts and observations, in order to serve as a self-reference point. It didn't always work though.

Shaking her head lightly, she set a brisk pace down an empty hospital hallway. Her light footsteps loudly echoed after her. Most of the lights were off given the late hour and that this was a low-traffic section of the building, however there was dim illumination from the emergency lights which created large, dark shadows around her. It smelled of strong antiseptic. A smell she thinks she'll never get used to.

Suddenly, she felt as if she wasn't alone.

**_"Sakura."_ **

She frantically whipped her head around.

"Hello?" she called out.

Silence. Taking her time, she slowly looked all around her and tried to sense if anyone had joined her. The hallway remained empty. No one was there. Giving herself a little mental kick, Sakura berated herself. She really needed to sleep more if she wanted to avoid startling auditory hallucinations. Sakura doubled her pace through the hospital complex and upon arriving to a secure side entrance, she slipped out into the chilly winter night.

Dry leaves crunched loudly underneath her tall black boots. A howl of wind broke past her and she tugged the fabric of her bulky coat closer to her body, wrapping her arms tightly around her. As she walked down the empty main street of Konoha, the Hokage tower came into view. She was surprised to see light flicker from Kakashi's office. Her eyebrow twitched. She swore he was worse than her sometimes, which was an unfortunate achievement.

Grinning, she made an impulsive decision.

...

Kakashi absentmindedly massaged the back of his head, deep in thought, as his hand raked through his unruly silver hair. He squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment as a reprieve from the small font before him. The lamp at his desk emitted a soft amber glow that definitely was not conducive to reading for a prolonged period of time. Sighing, he found himself at a definite impasse with his productivity. The reason why he was up at this unholy hour was that he had been repeatedly distracted during the day. Often his thoughts wandered to a rose-haired kunoichi. He really needed to make a plan on how to address this lest he drive himself crazy.

 _This_ being… well, he couldn't concretely define it yet. He only had personal observations, which some might consider more as obsessive scrutiny. No one else seemed to have noticed things about her. But the more he thought about it, he had to admit that they really did spend most of their time together, so no one else would really have the opportunity to notice. Maybe he was letting his paranoia get the better of him. Ever since he could remember, there was always a looming threat to grapple with – an ongoing war, a potential insurrection, the Akatsuki, weird ass chakra aliens.

It had been quiet. Perhaps he should stop trying to find problems and just appreciate the normalcy and peace for the first time in his life. Perhaps—

There was a sudden knock on his door.

"Come in Sakura-chan." Well speak of the devil.

Kakashi saw a flash of pretty pink hair. She was smiling demurely at him, walking steadily toward him in a ridiculously large and puffy white winter coat. A bright red, oversized scarf was wrapped around her neck numerous times. His nose twitched as her classic scent registered with him – _peonies and honey._

"Did we have a meeting right now? You know how I tend to lose track of time."

Sakura shook her head and scoffed at his poor attempt at humor, " _No_ , even I'm not crazy enough to have a meeting at this hour."

He leaned back in his chair and stretched.

Continuing her train of thought, "I was passing through and decided to quickly scold you for working so late. You're not a spring chicken anymore, you'll work yourself to an early grave and Naruto isn't quite ready yet."

"Mah Sakura-chan, you know you could at least _try_ to feign respect. I am your Hokage after all."

"I show you the same amount of respect I would Tsunade-sama."

They both knew that was a blatant lie.

Too tired to call her out, "Well, it's not like I'm trying to make this into a habit. Today just got away from me."

Head perking up in interest as she flopped down in the chair across from him, "Anything you need help on?"

 _Yes, but it's about you._ "Nah, it was just an off day."

Sakura nodded.

Deciding to call her out on something different, "What are you doing out and about at this horrific hour?"

She gave him a sheepish grin, "I fell asleep at my desk."

"Again?"

"Again."

Shaking his head at her, "Honestly you should tear down a few walls to expand your office and then just move in there. It'll save you time on your commute."

"Trust me, if we had the budget I would," she cheekily responded, "Plus I'd be much closer to your office and can harass you even more."

His gaze softened, "Honestly I appreciate the company. They never advertise how isolating being the Hokage is."

"Yeah, especially when you've already been a _huge_ pain in the ass your entire career. So many more people want to kill you on a _daily_ basis that your ANBU detail doesn't let anyone step foot in the tower, let alone your office."

Kakashi gave her a deadpan look, "You know I have the power to easily assign you a genin team with a snap of my fingers, right?"

Throwing her hands up as a sign of defeat, "I was just _teasing_. Beg your pardon _Hokage-sama._ "

He grinned at her.

"Don't worry, I'll get out of your hair soon. I really did just want to quickly scold you," she continued, locking her eyes with his and giving him a warm smile.

He had been almost expecting it, but that strange feeling hadn't emerged again. Maybe it was paranoia. Maybe it was all in his head.

"Consider me thoroughly scolded," he yielded, "I think I'm supposed to conduct a special Chunin ceremony tomorrow. We have some really gifted brats, as you know. I really should get some sleep if I want to survive."

Melodic laughter erupted from the woman across from him, "You're _such_ a curmudgeon. You know like every kid in the village thinks you're _super_ cool?"

"At least some people respect me," Kakashi sighed out.

Her mood suddenly shifting, she gave him an intensely heated glare, "I'm still pissed at you about him though. I still think it's too soon."

Kakashi swallowed. He could only nod in acknowledgement.

Standing up, Sakura lightly dusted the front of her jacket with her hands. Another yawn slipped past her and she shook her body to perk herself up, "Well, as much as I like hanging out with you, I should head home now!"

"Ja ne, Sakura-chan."

She flashed him a peace sign, while sticking her tongue out at him, as she poofed away from his office.

Finally allowing himself to yawn after her departure, Kakashi stood up to make his way home. Reviewing their latest exchange in his mind, he didn't sense anything abnormal.

Yeah, maybe it was all inside his head after all.

...

A few hours later, Sakura awoke again, but this time in the luxurious comfort of her bed. Her extra-large, white down comforter was wrapped around her like a cocoon. A few powerful rays of sunshine danced around her as they peaked through her blinds. She could hear the bustling hum of the street below her apartment as shopkeepers started opening for the day and neighbors exchanged cheerful greetings.

Thinking about what was on her agenda, she squealed excitedly. After her hospital shift, she would begin meeting the five children who would participate in her pilot program. She could _finally_ start helping children process the trauma they experienced and adopt healthy coping mechanisms to move on with their lives and not relive horrors on a daily basis. She could do some real good.

Hoisting herself up from her bed, Sakura made her way into her bathroom. She could already tell by the temperature in her apartment, despite cranking her heat up as high as her landlord would allow, that it was another frigid day. Hopping into the shower, she turned on scalding hot water and let out a content sigh. Immediately she started to work up a lather in her hair. As she thoroughly massaged her scalp, she allowed her mind to wander.

Sakura thought of her boys, wondering if they were doing okay and staying healthy. Deep fondness radiated from her as she thought about her former teammates. She hadn't seen Naruto in a while, but last she heard he was making quite the impression in Mist. Mei, the Mizukage, had become particularly fond of his _'refreshing diplomatic approach.'_ Apparently, they decided to team up in giving Shikamaru a hard time given he was such a _'stick-in-the-mud'_ about protocol.

Given Ino's budding relationship with Sai, Sakura knew he was doing well, although he continued to be socially inept. She tried to block out the unsolicited additional information Ino had shared with her – something about how Sai's creativity was equally phenomenal both on the battlefield _and_ in the bedroom.

Sasuke was gone from the village for who knows how long again. But the last Team 7 dinner they had together was really happy and satisfying – even though they had all been given a lifetime ban from Gyu-Kaku BBQ afterward. Kakashi had to pull some serious strings to reconcile the damages.

Pausing her hands, Sakura reflected on the last conversation she had with Sasuke. It was brief, but it stuck out to her because he had initiated it. His words were soft and subtle, but she understood the underlying gist of what he was asking her.

_He wanted to know if she was waiting for him._

She didn't even really think about her response before a candid _'no'_ escaped her lips.

_He then asked if she was at the very least content, if not happy._

She answered a confident _'yes.'_ And truthfully, she was. The war was over, Sasuke had come home, her team was complete once again, Naruto was on his way to achieve his dream of being Hokage, and the people she loved dearest were safe.

Sasuke seemed visibly relieved after their brief exchange, giving her a very rare, small smile. When the entire team saw him off, as they always did, Sasuke gave his customary, individual goodbyes. An eye roll to Sai when he told Sasuke to _'try not to do anymore war criminal shit.'_ A respectful nod toward Kakashi who responded with an eye crinkle. Naruto and Sasuke always bumped fists after exchanging a unique insult. And then lastly, Sasuke would always flick Sakura's forehead while she gave him a sweet smile, reminding him to _'stay safe.'_

A smile graced her lips at the memory. Sakura then started rinsing out her hair and proceeded with the rest of her shower routine. Getting out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a very large, white fluffy towel. She took a smaller towel and began gently wringing out residual water from her long hair. After making her way to her sink, she opened her medicine cabinet to get out her toothbrush and toothpaste.

Closing the cabinet, she briefly stared at her reflection. Her bright green eyes were bloodshot, accompanied by dark circles underneath due to her poor sleeping habits. Ino's voice rang through her head, giving her grief about letting herself get to such a state.

Her byakugō seal sat prominently on her forehead. Staring intently at the rhombus, she gave it a little knock with a knuckle. She had been steadily, yet aggressively, accumulating chakra again ever since their battle with the Rabbit Goddess ended. Although hoping to not have to tap into its' power anytime soon, she figured it was better to be safe, than sorry. Sakura would _never_ forgive herself if she couldn't save any one of her boys because she had run out of chakra.

Letting out a deep sigh, she turned on the sink faucet and proceeded to brush her teeth. Two minutes later, she went to spit out the accumulation of foamy liquid from her mouth. As she rose back up, she caught her reflection again in the mirror. No, not _her_ reflection, a reflection. Wicked, _white_ eyes stared back at her piercing straight through her soul. Her breath caught in her chest.

Sakura's fist swiftly shattered the mirror in front of her.

Ears ringing, she let out shaky, labored breaths. Small pieces of glass had painfully imbedded in her right hand. Deep, red blood steadily oozed out from the lacerations. Droplets fell on her white porcelain sink and emerald tiled floor. On instinct, her chakra immediately rushed to her fist, enveloping it in a healing glow. With her unharmed hand, she started grasping around, looking for a large enough glass shard. Finding one, she abruptly brought it to eye level.

_Green._

It was her own eyes reflecting back at her. Slamming the shard of glass down on her sink, Sakura let out a nervous chuckle in relief. She made a personal vow to get on a healthier sleep schedule and stick with it. And _lessen_ the number of late-night hang outs with Kakashi – they were some of her favorite things to do after all.

...

Kakashi _hated_ wearing formal Hokage attire. The robes made him look like a pompous idiot. They were stuffy and cumbersome to move in. The hat matted down his hair. Everything totally clashed with his normally cool, understated aesthetic. However, they were required when commemorating the promotions of ninja to visually reinforce the importance and formality of the event.

He internally sighed (sighing out loud would be a bad look right now).

A voice in the room droned on, announcing the various accomplishments of the three, promising youth in front of him. Two of the members had above average ability and while their promotions at age 12 were well deserved, they were also well within the normal age range. There was a cute girl in pigtails who hailed from the Nara clan and showed early promise as a highly skillful tactician. The other girl was from a civilian noble family, who had an impish face and shocking red hair. She had a fiery temper and explosive offensive capability to match.

But it was the third member that really caught his eye.

Kakashi stared at the boy in front of him. Slate grey eyes and long black hair. Elegant, aristocratic features yet he came from an unknown family in a quaint town that no longer existed. He was small, but that was to be expected. He was only six years old.

Thinking back to the boy's file, a lot of the characteristics and abilities he demonstrated reminded Kakashi of… well, himself. A certified genius that graduated with top grades at the academy within one year. An already well demonstrated affinity for lightning release. Unfortunately, the similarities did not stop there. Tragedy had befallen both of them at a very young age.

During the war, white Zetsu had decimated his town and he was the only survivor. A rescue team found him a week after the fighting had ended, sitting in the burnt down debris of his childhood home, still grasping the hand of the rotting corpse of his mother. Wild animals had mostly eaten the body of his baby sister who had been tucked protectively under his mother's other arm.

The village immediately took him in as a refugee. At the orphanage, he demonstrated incredible physical and chakra aptitude for his age, and he was quickly enrolled into the academy. Sakura had been carefully managing the boy's case since he first stepped foot into the village. She was the doctor assigned to rehabilitate him, and naturally became deeply attached. The boy became a huge source of motivation for the creation of her mental health clinic. And she was _fiercely_ protective of him.

One of the few legitimate arguments that Kakashi and Sakura had was regarding the boy's upcoming promotion to Chunin. ANBU had nervously stood at attention outside of Kakashi's office as both of their chakras flared in contention. She had vehemently opposed, saying his mental state was too fragile to be burdened with that responsibility, no matter how capable of a genius he was. Kakashi argued he had the skills, maturity, and mental faculty to succeed as a Chunin, and he had earned it. There had been no indication of instability from the boy based on both Sakura _and_ Ino's assessments, and she couldn't let her biased feelings stunt his growth. Eventually she relented under the strict condition that the boy would be one of the five children participating in her mental health pilot program.

Kakashi immediately agreed.

Snapping back to attention as it was now his time to speak, Kakashi individually called up each shinobi to receive a certificate formalizing their promotion. Both girls had given him dazzling, proud smiles as they accepted their scrolls. It was then the boy's turn.

"Congratulations, Byakuya-kun. Thank you for your steadfast dedication and service to Konoha. We expect great things from you."

"Thank you Hokage-sama," he replied softly as he kneeled before him.

Byakuya rose to stand. As they locked gazes, Kakashi thought that although the boy had experienced incredible misfortune early in his life, overall, he was rather lucky…

Kakashi would have _killed_ to have someone like Sakura in his life at that age.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a review. Have a nice day!


	3. Chapter 3

Sasuke could feel dried blood still embedded underneath his nails. Although well-known at this point in his career, he still intensely detested the sensation. Curtain Village was notoriously hostile and lawless, swarming with figures from the Bingo Book and equally sinister locals. His hand flexed in discomfort as he recalled feeling flesh char and disintegrate within his grasp – and hot, viscous blood drench his forearm. Sitting in a dark corner of a nameless café, he carefully assessed the patrons around him.

There were three men near the entrance drinking sake and loudly exchanging insults. Most likely comrades. Most likely skilled in kenjutsu based on the blades on their backs. Diagonally from the group sat a woman with deep set valleys on her aging face, eating daifuku and reading what seemed to be an old copy of the Bingo Book. Meticulously clean and pressed clothing. Seemingly ancient in such a town. She was mostly likely the opposite of an easy target. Lastly, several feet to his left, there was a heavily cloaked figure passed out. Several empty bottles of sake littered the table.

Overall, the individuals around him posed minimal threats and seemed keen on keeping to themselves. Which was welcomed, because Sasuke was tired as shit.

He lightly grasped the cup of hot tea in front of him and drank. Over the past two years, his mandate had been to gather intel on Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. It was a frustrating endeavor. A millennium had passed since she arrived on Earth – meaning a millennium of warring states, the rise and fall of hundreds of towns and villages, and mass diasporas had eradicated most traces of her. What was once credible information was corrupted into rumors, which was distorted into legend, and then lived on through the ages as myths and fairytales. Despite his steadfast effort, he had little luck.

Until now.

Less than a week ago, Sasuke had been in the Land of Hot Water covertly scouring through hundreds of old texts in an abandoned Jashinist underground compound. There were books alluding to world-ending cataclysms rebirthing Jashin in this dimension, journals filled with years of failed experiments to perfect immortality, and scrolls diagraming in meticulous detail the ritual of human sacrifice. Carnage. Death. Destruction. Pages upon pages of carnage, death, and destruction.

Then he found an ancient scrap of text unlike any of the materials found in the compound. It was tucked neatly in an unassuming tome, bookmarking a chapter called 'Nothing.' He tossed the book aside to inspect the writing more closely, but it was initially illegible in an unknown language with unknown symbols. Until he attempted to read it with his Rinnegan. What was once obscure became clear due to Kaguya's legacy. The irony was not lost on him, but he welcomed the small, promising lead.

Allegedly, there was a hidden shrine, supposedly _the_ hidden shrine, dedicated to the Rabbit Goddess. Not _Demon_ , but _Goddess_. A distinction indicating that perhaps the shrine would have information resembling closer to truth than fiction. Given the clue had only been deciphered with the Rinnegan, perhaps those with the Rinnegan would be able to find the lost temple.

This was why he found himself in the Land of Silence. A land outside the structure and influence of the five major villages. A land filled with vagrants and criminals entrenched in a zero-sum system of desperate survival. A land where as soon as he crossed its boarders, he was ambushed by bandits determined to kill him. Although easy to dispose of, the experience soured his first impression of the failed state, especially after he had sprinted non-stop for four days. It was unnecessary for him to rush here, yet his intuition screamed at the urgency of this lead.

So, he followed his gut.

Finishing his tea, he stood and dropped a generous number of coins onto the table. There wasn't a universally accepted currency in the village, however the owner had told him 'anything of value would do.' As he gracefully walked toward the entrance with his cloak gently swaying with his movements, all commotion and chatter stopped. Just as he had sized up everyone in the room earlier, the room was sizing him up now. He noted that the cloaked figure remained unconscious. Passing the old woman, he respectfully nodded at her and she curtly nodded back before resuming with her snack.

"Oi," barked a gruff voice.

Sasuke paused just before the entrance and slightly pivoted his body to where the voice originated from. The three men were intently staring at him. Bodies taut with tension. Chakra accumulating. A portly, bearded fellow with a huge scar across his forehead was the ringleader.

"You ain't from 'round here, ya?"

A moment passed.

"No."

He _really_ didn't feel like causing a commotion and having his presence in the region officially known. Carefully contemplating his options, he would elect to knock out everyone and flee if the men sought confrontation. Evenly distributing his weight in anticipation, his feet slightly dug into the dirt floor of the establishment.

As the bearded man opened his mouth to respond, a firm voice interrupted.

" _Leave him_ – he seems like a nice boy."

Sasuke noted that the cloaked figure had immediately awoken at the sound of the voice and turned to the scene before them. Ah, he was mistaken. _The old woman was the ringleader._

The tension in the room dissipated as the bearded man simply shrugged, "Sure ma," and turned back to his comrades to reengage in conversation and drinks. The cloaked figure nodded its head before slamming back down into unconsciousness.

Just as Sasuke made his way outdoors, the old woman called out to him, "Whatever you're here for, make it quick… _Uchiha._ "

...

Pedestrians swiftly maneuvered out of the way as a flurry of long pink hair hurried down the street. The friction of her movements made her large, puffy winter coat noisily announce her presence. A large paper bag was tightly tucked underneath her arm. Returning from a quick errand, Sakura was running late for her first appointment with Byakuya. It was quite out of character for her. Wryly, she thought maybe Kakashi was starting to rub off on her more than she cared to admit. But truly, she simply lost track of time.

Again.

Sakura could not account for an hour of her time today, in between a four-hour surgery and overseeing the physicals of several ANBU squadrons. It seemed that one minute she was triumphantly walking out an operating theater and the next minute she was on the complete opposite side of the hospital, standing in a hallway clutching a patient file. It was the darndest thing. But the majority of her career was spent at the hospital, so it's understandable she went on autopilot. She'd also been running herself ragged – it was probably a late-afternoon brain fog?

Thinking not much more of it, she had pressed onward with her day to deal with Konoha's special forces. When it came to hospitals, a few greenhorns tried to emulate some of the worst habits of the revered Hokage, whose escapades had become legend among the ranks. Their resolve for dissent quickly crumbled once she threatened to have them benched for two weeks to undergo an extremely invasive panel of diagnostic exams – and not even the Hokage could override her order. _'I'll have to give Kakashi shit about this later,'_ she schemed.

Normally she would have forgone errands if her day was running over, however this was essential to her upcoming appointment. Byakuya was a sweet and pure soul, yet he had suffered so much. According to the rescue team, when they attempted to extract him from his mother's corpse, he let out an endless, blood curdling scream. They ended up having to sedate him and he slept for three days straight. When he awoke in a Konoha hospital bed, he was silent. And he remained silent.

The first time she interacted with him, he was frail and near death. Completely haunted. It took three long months before he spoke a word to her – his first. Although he made remarkable strides in his recovery and appeared exceptionally resilient, sometimes she would catch cracks within his façade…

The automatic doors at the hospital chimed while a chorus of _'Welcome Sakura-sensei!'_ erupted around her, disrupting her thoughts. Keeping her brisk pace, she gave everyone a quick smile and wave before weaving through the busy hallways to her office. Everyone knew not to get in her way at that moment. Approaching her office, she saw Byakuya patiently sitting outside. He was wearing standard shinobi attire with a crisp, new Chunin vest. A large grey scarf was wrapped around his neck and covered most of his lower face. His long black hair was tied neatly in a low ponytail.

"Oh I'm SO sorry Byakuya-kun!" she exclaimed hurrying to her unlock her door, her coat and the paper bag crumpling loudly with her movements, "I had to run a quick errand before our appointment."

The boy rose and trailed behind her as the door violently swung open, "It's okay Sakura-san." He gently closed the door after him.

Placing the package on her desk, she quickly shimmied out of her coat and tossed it on her office chair. The intense friction from her movements generated static electricity. As portions of hair rose, she quickly palmed at her head to smooth her hair down.

"Please take a seat," she said while motioning to a comfortable light blue couch next to her desk. The boy complied.

Plopping down on her chair, she snatched the package, a notebook, and pen from the desk before proceeding to scoot closer to him. Digging into the paper bag, a white container emerged.

"Before we start, I wanted to give you something in celebration of your promotion," she said while shoving the box in front of him, "I got your favorite, from the shop we always go to!"

Taking the box from her outstretched hands, he carefully opened the lid. Inside were piping hot, plump dango coated in a syrupy sauce. The delicious mixture of sweet and salty wafted into his nose and a warm smile blossomed on his face.

"Thank you so much, Sakura-san."

Waving her hand, "It's the least I could do. I'm very proud of you!"

His eyes widened, "Really?"

"Of course, it's an incredible achievement!"

Hesitating, "Oh, I overheard some people saying you didn't exactly… agree with it."

"People are so nosy," she sighed, rolling her eyes, "It's not that I disagree with _your_ promotion specifically. In general, I disagree with promoting children under the age of 12 to chunin. We're not at war. There's no reason to accelerate children through the ranks. Kids should be given the opportunity to be kids and have a childhood – not rush to experience all the responsibilities and harsh burdens of life, especially a shinobi life."

He nodded in understanding, "That's a really kind view."

"Some people think it's _too soft_ of a view, but whatever. Now go on and eat before it gets cold!" she urged with a motherly tone, "I'll give a general explanation of why you're here and you can just nod while stuffing your face to let me know you're listening."

Gesturing with the box, "Would you like one Sakura-san? I feel bad eating something delicious without sharing."

Such a sweet kid. "How about I'll take one at the end of our session? I'm on the clock and should be professional – this isn't just us hanging out, ya know?" She winked at him with a grin. Byakuya gave her a small grin in return and took a large bite to signal his amenability to the proposal.

"Well, the purpose of our meetings is for you to have a safe space to process your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. There's no agenda – we can talk about anything _you_ want." Motioning to the open notebook and pen in her grasp, "I'll be taking notes for the _sole_ purpose to help me keep track of what's going on in your life. My notes are always securely sealed and can only be accessed by myself. Sometimes I might follow up on certain things you've mentioned in the past just to check-in."

He nodded mid-bite, encouraging her to continue.

"I want to make it explicitly clear that everything discussed in this room is confidential. Now if you share something that is a threat to the safety of yourself, others, or the village, I will _never_ judge you or break that confidentiality. However, I _will_ choose the most appropriate course of action and inform the Hokage of my recommended intervention. My priorities are to ensure your health and safety, and to earn and retain your trust—"

"I trust you Sakura-san," he quietly interrupted.

"And I am grateful for your trust. I just didn't want to assume I had it," she said kindly with a smile. "So, does that all make sense?"

With a thoughtful look, "Yes, that all makes perfect sense."

"Wonderful, do you have any questions?"

He gulped down another large bite, "Nothing comes to mind."

"No worries, but please don't hesitate to ask me anything, okay?" Giving him an affectionate smile, "Is there anything you want to talk about today? It can really be anything."

There was a small pause. Sakura didn't dare interrupt, letting the temporary silence coax him into answering.

"Well… I know that being a Chunin means more advanced missions. Meaning more time outside the village."

Nodding, "Yes, that's true."

"Sometimes, I don't want to leave… I'm afraid to leave."

Jotting a few notes down, "Do you have an idea as to why that is?"

"I left once." She saw his movements stop as he stared past at the wall behind her. Continuing his thought, "I left my home once, to get water from a well for kaa-san. And when I came back, everyone was gone."

Her eyes softened, "I'm very sorry that happened to you Byakuya-kun."

"I also don't…"

"Don't what?"

"I don't want that to happen… with you. With my friends. To be here one minute and then… _gone_. What if something happens while I'm out on a mission and I can't stop it? I don't want to fail again."

"Byakuya-kun, you didn't fail your family. It's important you understand and know this. What happened was a tragedy _completely_ outside your control. And no matter how strong a person gets, how prepared they try to be, there will _always_ be things that happen, both good and bad, that will just happen. And it can't be changed. So, the fear and uncertainty you experience is _absolutely_ valid and normal, however try to not let it consume you."

He slowly nodded as he absorbed her words.

Pressing on, "There's no guarantees in life, so I can't promise you that that would never happen. But understanding that nothing is for granted makes us appreciate life. Cherish the people around us. Savor moments of peace and happiness. Which is pretty cool if you think about it?"

He smiled at her, "It is."

"And don't feel as if it's your sole responsibility to keep people safe. We have a whole village filled with very capable shinobi who all rely on each other to keep each other safe. _Trust_ in your teammates and friends. _Trust_ in your teachers and seniors. _Trust_ in the Hokage and village."

"Right... I will. That really makes me feel better."

Cheekily pointing to the seal on her forehead, "Also, I'm _super_ hard to kill. So, trust in me too."

Byakuya softly snickered at her boast. He believed her though.

Their conversation flowed easily from there, although he seemed to avoid more serious topics, which was fine. They chatted about his new team and sensei, who all welcomed him with open arms and made him feel happy. About an exciting comic he read based on Kakashi's ninken (a hugely popular best-seller) where Bull took a big bite out of the moon mistaking it for a dog biscuit. About treating kids at the orphanage to some ramen using earnings from his latest mission. About…

Byakuya was staring at her, giving her a concerned look, "Sakura-san?"

Oh, she had zoned out.

Looking down at her notes, she realized they devolved into a repetitive scribble. Over and over and over again she had written: _'It's coming. It's coming. **It's coming.'**_ What the hell? Hastily, she scratched it all out with her pen. Turning her attention back to the boy in front of her, "I'm sorry Byakuya-kun, that was very rude of me. I got lost in thought for a second."

"It's okay Sakura-san." Byakuya didn't have the heart to correct her that it had been actually _five minutes_ since she wasn't entirely herself.

Glancing at the clock, "Oh, we're over time! I don't want to keep you from the rest of your evening, do you want to meet next week, same day and time?"

"Yes, that works for me."

"Awesome. I _really_ appreciate your willingness to open up to me and share today. Thank you for trusting in me, it's really cool."

Byakuya gave her a heartfelt smile. Offering a stick of dango, "Since it's the end."

Laughing, she accepted, "Since it's the end."

...

Sakura advanced down the main hallway within the Hokage tower, slowly savoring each bite of the stick of dango in her hand. Afar, she saw Kotetsu and Izumo standing alert, flanking both sides of the doors to Kakashi's office.

"Hey guys!" she called out, steadily approaching them.

"Hey Sakura-chan," they greeted in unison. Then Kotetsu continued, "We've been given explicit instructions not to let anyone bother him."

Snorting, "Well good thing I'm not a bother then."

Izumo chimed in, "No seriously, I haven't seen him so _moody_ in a long time. Everyone's been steering clear since he came back from his meetings."

Sakura stopped in front of them, brows furrowed in determination. Well, that wouldn't do. She wanted to share (brag about) her day.

"Maybe it's best if you came back to—" Kotetsu started before gasping in horror as she proceeded to kick open the doors to the Hokage's office. Izumo let out an audible groan.

"Ka-ka-shi!" she chimed, nonchalantly striding into the room.

Not bothering to glance up as he diligently processed paperwork, "Kotetsu-kun, Izumo-kun… I'm demoting you back to genin."

Panicked, "Hokage-sama—"

"He's just joking," she retorted to the flabbergasted guards before slamming the door shut behind her. "Don't pout, if you really wanted to keep me out you wouldn't have only the two of them standing there."

"Duly noted." Internally, he was thrilled to have her interrupt his evening.

Sakura stuck out her tongue although he seemed too preoccupied with his task to notice the affectionate disrespect. Walking to his desk, she made herself comfortable in a chair, giving him a moment of silence as he finished writing his thought.

Looking up, "To what do I owe this distinct pleasure?"

"I come bearing a gift."

Eyeing the sickeningly sweet, sticky snack in her hand, "Half-eaten dango? It's literally my _least_ favorite food."

"No, I'm gifting you with my presence—"

Kakashi coughed to disguise his incredulous snort.

Choosing to ignore it, "Actually I'm here to give you a quick update. I just finished my first meeting with Byakuya-kun and it went really well!"

Assessing her, he noticed that despite her exhausted appearance, she was glowing with pride. His warm gaze connected with hers, "That's really great to hear."

"Thanks again, by the way, for agreeing to allow him into my pilot program," she said shyly.

"It was futile to even try to disagree with you on that." Deciding to poke fun, "Plus, I felt sorry for the kid."

Confused, "What do you mean?"

"He's so infatuated. I'm sure he's thrilled to be _mandated_ to spend time with you. I honestly believe he thinks you're an angel—"

"Don't be ridiculous—"

"—if only he knew that you are actually a _horrifying she-devil—_ "

She stood up, "Hey—"

"—terrorizing poor interns, I get _boxes_ filled with complaints Sakura-chan, _boxes—_ "

She stepped forward waving her hands animatedly, "I only terrorize _idiot_ interns. They could kill someone!"

"—also _harassing_ the poor Hokage at all hours of the day and coercing him into all sorts of _activities—_ "

Slamming a hand on his desk, "Don't make things sound so dirty!" Pointing an accusatory finger at him, "And you're often the instigator of our… shenanigans!"

Kakashi grinned, giving a signature eye-crinkle.

Unamused, "Izumo-kun wasn't kidding when he said you're in a _mood_."

"It's impolite to gossip. And I did just come out of a _six-hour_ budget meeting. If I hear 'fiscal responsibility' one more time I'm resigning."

Scoffing as she walked around his desk to where he sat, "You can't just resign without a ready successor, otherwise shishou would have done it ages ago." She sat on the corner of his desk and he pivoted his chair to fully face her.

"Fine," he groaned, "then my last order would be for you to assassinate me."

Inching closer, her green eyes sparkled with excitement, "Neat, my street cred would go way up!"

"Mah Sakura-chan," he sighed, "Try not to be so overly cheerful by the idea."

"Oh, stop being such a grumpy… cat."

Turning up his nose, "Pakkun would take offense on my behalf for comparing me to a feline."

"I'm sure a juicy ribeye would quickly change his mind."

Throwing his pen at her, "Stop trying to make my ninken fat."

Easily catching the projectile, she laughed out loud. He smiled fondly at her mirth.

Grinning conspiratorially, "Want to lose your ANBU detail and make them freak out? I'll treat you to your favorite eggplant dish."

Kakashi noticeably perked up and stood at the mention of eggplant.

"I swear you have _such_ old man tastes."

"Better than having a sweet tooth worse than a toddler – you have some syrup on the corner of your mouth," he remarked while poking her left cheek.

Sakura couldn't help but blush.

Furiously wiping her mouth with her sleeve, _"Shut up and let's go."_

...

The forest was eerily silent.

Throughout the day there had been no chatter of animals. No vibrating crescendo of cicadas. No chirping of birds. It was now late in the evening and there wasn't even a faint murmur of crickets. All he could hear was his heartbeat. His breath. The purposeful crunch of sticks and leaves underneath his sandals. In completely uncharted territory, his only sense of direction was dictated by following a faint path of chakra for miles upon miles. The chakra had been getting stronger over the past few hours. More pronounced.

He was getting close.

However, he had to be cautious. The forest seemed to slowly and steadily drain a small fraction of his chakra throughout his journey. Something was fundamentally _wrong_ about this place. Brushing past a thicket, a new view emerged after hours of tree after tree. The outlines were incredibly faint, but before him was a dilapidated structure almost completely enveloped in foliage. There was a concentrated amount of chakra radiating from the shrine, suggesting that he found what he was looking for.

Pausing, he assessed the area around him for threats – there was nothing. Climbing the steps, he stopped in front of a deteriorated table with a stone bowl. Tentatively, he inched closer to inspect the bowl and saw engravings only decipherable with the Rinnegan.

_'This is the shrine of the Rabbit Goddess. An offering must be made. In blood and chakra.'_

Scowling, he weighed his options. Almost half of his chakra had been depleted at this point and he _should_ turn back and return when he was fully recovered. If he were to encounter a credible threat, he may be hard pressed to neutralize it and escape from the unnerving forest. There was the option to temporarily escape to a different dimension, yet there was also the possibility the threat could follow him. Then he'd really be fucked.

But the shrine hadn't indicated _how much_ blood and chakra was required. Maybe it was simply a taste, to demonstrate commitment. Piety. And Sasuke was impatient. Decisively, he pricked his thumb with his teeth, squeezing out a single droplet of blood falling heavy into the stone bowl. Forming pure chakra in his palm, he slowly descended his hand inside the vessel.

Abruptly, the overgrowth all over the temple disintegrated, as if incinerated. He simultaneously drew his sword and activated his Sharingan.

A minute passed. Silence.

The structure around him was now clearly defined and arguably pristine. As if it had been reinvigorated by the offering. Venturing further in, he saw an incredibly large stone tablet that had previously been enshrouded by vegetation and darkness. It looked remarkably similar to the tablet that had been under the possession of the Uchiha clan for generations. Deactivating his Sharingan, he inched closer, forming lightning release chakra in his hand as a steady source of light.

His breathe caught in his chest as he began to read the inscriptions.

_Rabbit Goddess… God Tree... Chakra Fruit…_

_Dimensions… Demons… War… Death…_

_The Inevitable…_ **The Void.**

The antithesis, the complete negation, of life... death... of _everything_. It was _nothing._

And it was coming.

Eyes widened in realization of his mistake, _"Shit."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a review. Have a nice day!


	4. Chapter 4

It was three in the morning and sleep continued to evade Byakuya. This had been the case for the past few nights. Iridescent moonlight peaked through open blinds, illuminating his bed covers and the book in his hands, a history book on the warring states era. After thumbing to the next page, he paused his reading, getting lost in thought. Occasional bouts of insomnia were not a new phenomenon. They never lasted more than a week and although being exhausted was uncomfortable, he didn’t mind it _too_ much. It was much better than the alternative. 

Sometimes he had nightmares instead. 

The vacant, half-opened eyes and soulless expression of his dead mother. Horrific screams and anguished wails. Scattered entrails of his baby sister and her sweet face torn in two. Encroaching white Zetsu unnaturally contorting their bodies, hunting him. Mangled corpses of his friends scattered at his feet. His hands drenched in Sakura-san’s blood as she stares at him with condemnation, the dark liquid seeping from her mouth. The worst of it was the darkness. An infinite pool of tar that slowly seeped into him, choking and consuming him as that thing watched. 

Pitch black dreadful eyes. A feral, predatory grin. Malevolence-incarnate, taunting him with whispers, saying _‘soon… **soon.’**_

Sometimes he heard whispers even when he wasn’t asleep. 

Lately the nightmares were getting worse, more frequent. But he didn’t dare tell anyone, _especially_ Sakura-san. A few white lies here and a few omissions there were enough to avoid raising the alarm during evaluations. At times it was tricky, but he was always successful. Expectations and methodologies were skewed toward _normal_ six-year-old children. An unintentional, but understandable, bias. As part of his accelerated curriculum, he was granted access to the Hokage tower’s library and Sakura-san was always gracious enough to lend out her medical textbooks. There were loads of literature on psychology and the human brain, the mechanics of interrogation, and dissections of micro expressions and body language. 

He knew exactly what to say and how to say it. 

It was for the greater good, _especially_ for Sakura-san. Never again would he be powerless, or a burden, or make her worry, or make her sad. But he also had to be extremely careful around her. Their recent conversation was the most honest he’d been with anyone since... She reminded him a bit of his kaa-san. They share similar warm smiles that were instantly reassuring and kind – the type that immediately vanished whatever fear or pain you were feeling. Also, they are both rather fierce. In how they protected, advocated, and loved… Well, his kaa-san _was_ rather fierce… She _had_ a warm smile… 

Anyway, Sakura-san had an easy, genuine way of making him open up. He had to tread carefully during their upcoming sessions. She had to be protected. From everything. _From this._ So, yes, he welcomed insomnia instead.

While Byakuya still had his doubts about leaving the village, he couldn’t help but be excited about the upcoming mission. His first _C-rank!_ His first C-rank with his _new team and sensei!_ In a few hours they’d be leaving for a two-day protection detail, guarding medical supplies being transported to a town in the outskirts of the Land of Fire. There may be some bandit activity, but overall, the mission was straight forward. It’d be a chance to get to know his team better, though they were already so welcoming and awesome. 

Mayuri-sensei was _cool_ (not as cool as the Hokage, but he was tough to beat) with an easy-going attitude and expertly wielded chakra blades. Don-kun was a loud-mouth with an aggressive taijutsu-style and who would always greet him with an energetic double high five. Hana-chan was equally rambunctious, threatening to kick his ass with her boil release if his Chunin promotion went to his head, but she was also incredibly sweet, bringing homemade onigiri to every practice. When he was first assigned to the team, they’d taken him out to BBQ. A new tradition. His teammates then snuck him to a training field to blow up random trees with explosive tags and light fireworks. Another new tradition. 

He smiled to himself, it was one of his happiest memories. 

Byakuya glanced at the clock and decided to tuck the book away. In a few hours they’d depart and at the very least he could attempt to rest his eyes before reporting in. Two days wasn’t long. It’d be over in a blink of an eye. What would be the next mission they’re assigned? Maybe something stealthy like reconnaissance or ridiculous like rounding up wild boars… Hopefully the escort mission goes well. He was really looking forward to his next meeting with Sakura-san, she’d be thrilled to hear all about it. Maybe on the way back, he’d pick up a small souvenir! That seemed feasible. Potentially another figurine, like a dog or cat, to keep the frog on her desk company…? 

Sleep finally took him. 

As he serenely slumbered, an unknown whisper uttered, **_“Soon.”_**

...

Naruto was _bored._

Over the past hour, he had been flinging kunai at a poorly drawn caricature of Uchiha Madara. To his credit, he _totally_ pretty much nailed it with capturing the ‘bat shit crazy’ look in the Konoha founder’s eyes. Shikamaru was face planted in a book across from him, an assortment of open scrolls and towering stacks of books scattered around. Technically the both of them were tasked with creating a strategy for more effective economic cooperation between Konoha and Kiri, as well as a short list of ideas for a series of cultural exchange events. Attempting to reconcile decades of harsh, convoluted economic sanctions and punitive policies between the two villages nearly broke Shikamaru. 

But once Naruto suggested hosting an _Oiroke no Jutsu_ contest as the first cultural exchange event, he decided to call it quits and take a nap.

Flinging another kunai, “Neh Shikamaru.”

A low groan could be heard from the dark, pineapple-haired man.

“I’m _bored.”_

Another groan.

 _“C’mon_ let’s ditch this and do something fun! 

Shikamaru lifted his head up, “You know we can’t do that.”

“But baa-chan already did! She got wind of a casino near here and has been gambling for seven days straight.”

“Tsunade-sama _was_ the Hokage and _is_ retired. Accompanying us was to show good faith to Kiri. You’re next in line to become the Hokage. We’re trying to set you up for success, not make a bad impression.”

Pouting, “But the Mizukage already really likes me…,” then giving his companion a sly grin, “And I think she really, _really_ likes you.”

“It’s about establishing deeper relationships than that, as leaders come and go. Tch, that’s the last thing Konoha needs, to be in between Suna and Kiri over something so troublesome.”

Wiggling his eyebrows, “Oooh so things are still going on with Temari-chan?”

“More or less.”

“And Kakashi-sensei was worried that I was going to be the one starting _‘international incidents’…_ Wait! You know what this means, right?”

He raised a brow, urging the energetic blonde to enlighten him.

“You’ll have GAARA as a brother-in-law hehehe!” 

Shikamaru scowled. Fully aggravated, he whipped out and lit a cigarette in one fluid motion. He took a long inhale, then a flicker of horror passed his face, “…Tsunade-sama has been in a casino for seven days straight?”

Naruto nodded his head.

“…We’re going to have to bail her out again, aren’t we?”

Naruto nodded his head again, slower this time as he started mirroring his future advisor’s horror.

Inhaling again, “What a _drag…”_

Flinging another kunai, “How much longer are we here for again?”

“Two more weeks.”

“Aww man, I want to go home. I miss Ichiraku. And Hinata-chan…”

Shikamaru snorted. Ramen continued to reign supreme in the future Hokage’s heart, however he was sure the Hyūga heiress was already aware. She was deeply understanding like that. 

Continuing, “Also teme and even Sai, and Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei…”

The strategist quirked his brow, taking another inhale. Team 7 was known for being exceptionally close. But those two, were _exceptionally close._ More often than not, Sakura and Kakashi were essentially attached at the hip. Where one went, the other one would surely follow. If you wanted to find one, you could ask the other with success. They knew each other’s strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, idiosyncrasies, etc. and it was not uncommon for them to speak on behalf of the other, as if they knew _precisely_ what the other was thinking. He had a suspicion there could be more to them, but both were undoubtedly too dense and romantically awkward to notice. 

They were the smartest, dumbest workaholics he’d ever met.

“Iruka-sensei, Konohamaru-kun, even Ino-chan even though she’s mean to me, Choji-kun…”

Interrupting, “Are you just going to name everyone in the village now?”

“Maybe I will, because I’m bore— _Actually,_ come to think of it, I really want to try using my dad’s Hiraishin Kunai on our way back to Konoha. I already set up the network and I’ve been working out the kinks. I’m pretty sure I got the hang of it!”

“You’re aware that trying to teleport from Kiri to Konoha would almost certainly kill you.”

 _“I know that!_ I was thinking of trying it once we cross the boarders into Fire Country. But seriously, how _badass_ would it be if I could teleport between _countries?”_

Acquiescing, “Pretty badass. Though theoretically, you _might_ be able to manage that by tapping into Kurama’s insane chakra reserves. But again, if you fucked it up you would probably die.” 

“Yo Kurama, you hear that?! We _totally_ got this!”

“Oi, it’s weird when you talk to the most powerful chakra titan in existence so casually.”

“But he’s my friend!”

 _“Naruto-kun! Shikamaru-kun!”_ a feminine voice in the distance called out.

Both men tensed. 

“Shit, it’s the Mizukage!”

Frantically concealing the cigarette stub, “We’re only halfway done, why did you distract me?”

“EH?! You were _napping_ when I woke you up!”

“I do some of my best thinking when I nap. You’ve been awake the whole time, have you thought of anything?”

“Eheheh… no.”

“Mendokusai…”

Konoha was doomed. 

...

Kakashi was hiding in her office again. 

More accurately, he was taking a nap on her light blue couch with a copy of _Icha Icha Violence_ draped across his face to block the mid-afternoon sunlight. She was certain his ANBU team had wised up to his favorite hiding spot. However, Tsunade had set a precedent that ANBU personnel were only allowed on the premise for strictly medical reasons. No other activity or operations were permitted, and technically a Hokage protection detail fell under those categories. They could secure the building externally but could not step foot inside. An exception could only be made if both the Hokage _and_ Chief of Medicine signed off on it. 

The official reason? One time, a member of Tsunade’s detail got in the way of patient care. The actual reason? Tsunade needed a sacred place to escape from paperwork and stick-up-their-asses guards… and drink. Given at that time, she was both Chief of Medicine _and_ Hokage, an exception was never made. And now, given that in Tsunade’s temporary absence, Sakura was acting Chief of Medicine and Kakashi, as Hokage, absolutely abhorred being babysat, the precedent was upheld to this day. Much to Kakashi’s utter delight. 

Sakura initially found it odd, given his notorious aversion to hospitals. The man used to repeatedly bleed out on her kitchen floor rather than seek treatment in a sterile, well-equipped, life-saving facility. She still had blood stains in her tile grout to prove it. He still evaded his yearly physicals, which have been overdue ever since Tsunade stopped having the authority to give him direct orders. Though even that tactic wasn’t always successful. Once, Kakashi _willingly_ spent a week imprisoned for directly disobeying Tsunade’s order to get his physical, _just to prove a point._ He would have been fine being incarcerated even longer, but then the daimyo specifically requested him for a mission and the standoff abruptly ended. 

Yet now, maybe every other week, Kakashi would pop up in her office. Sometimes they’d just read and work in a comfortable silence. Sometimes he napped, implicitly trusting her not to try to take a peek under his mask even though the pot had ballooned to _30,000 ryos_ over the years. Sometimes he brought her a snack, always under the guise that an old lady wouldn’t take _‘no’_ for an answer and gave him too much food, but really it was because he was concerned that she skipped a meal. Again. 

One day, her curiosity got the better of her. She asked him why he hanged out at her office so often. His convoluted reasoning was that her office, while located _in_ a hospital, wasn’t in fact _a_ hospital. Plus, her couch was ridiculously comfortable. _Pure bullshit._ Although her eyes almost rolled out of her skull, she couldn’t help but smile. It was only fair, given how often she barged into his office at almost a daily basis. At one point, Kakashi tried pawning off his job to her, since she _‘seemed to love the Hokage tower so much.’_

As she finished scribbling away at a patient file, she noticed he had awoken, “Hello sleepy head.”

Lightly grumbling underneath his book, “Sakura-chan… I had this horrible dream that I was elected Hokage and Shizune was my assistant and she threatened to burn all my books.”

Sighing at his dramatics, “I don’t know how to break it to you Kakashi, but you _are_ Hokage. Shizune _is_ your assistant. And she threatens to burn your books on _a weekly basis_ to keep you in line.”

“Life is cruel.”

“What are you talking about? You live a very blessed life. And you’re a powerful prodigy in arguably the most powerful position in the world during essentially an era of world peace.”

“But the _paperwork…_ And the _robes…_ And the old lady who runs the dango shop _you_ like keeps pinching _my_ ass while blaming it on dementia.”

Rolling her eyes, “You’re such a brat after you nap, that’s so counterintuitive.”

He lightly chuckled, “Mah, I’m your favorite brat.”

Huffing, she didn’t dignify that comment with a response. Although, grudgingly, he was correct. 

“Speaking of your _other_ favorite brat, I’m sure you’ve heard Byakuya-kun left for his first C-rank mission today?”

Excitedly, “Yes I did hear! Byakuya-kun is really excited about it! Do you know when they’re expected to be back?”

“Ah it’s a simple escort mission, so probably within two or three days, tops.”

“Perfect, just in time for our next session. I can’t wait to hear how it went. He’s really thrilled with his new team!”

“It’s a good group. Credit to Iruka-sensei for recommending that match.”

Nodding, “It seems to be really working out... Though… I can’t help but feel a _little_ nervous about this mission.”

Waving a hand lazily, “Mah it’ll be fine, Mayuri-sensei is highly capable and it’s as straight forward of an assignment as it can be.”

Snorting, “Well, our first C-rank ended up being an A-rank, remember? It’s weird, but I have this odd feeling that something might happen.”

“Well, Team 7 has always been an anomaly. They’ll be fine, Sakura-chan.”

Sighing, “I guess you’re right… Also, you need to have a chat with Ibiki-san.”

“Oh?”

“Your well-known _uncooperativeness_ is causing issues at the hospital. Every time we have to conduct mandatory physicals, I’m _always_ paged to handle idiots. I’m a busy woman, Kakashi! Recently, I was pulled out of a surgery because my staff are scared stiff of your cloak-and-dagger band of—”

Interrupting, “It’s understandable that some people don’t like to be probed.”

“I’ll probe _you_ if you don’t—"

“Mah no need to resort to threats Sakura-chan. But don’t you think that’s hypocritical of me? I have to consider my reputation after all.”

“Your reputation will be fine. People respected you even when you were _just_ a stingy, perverted, porn-reading Jonin. No one is going to blink at the fact you’re a hypocrite too. Think of it as a public health service announcement, _‘cooperate or die.’”_

Almost pouting at the multiple jabs, “You’re so mean. And scary. Morino might actually try to recruit you.”

Snorting, “As if. It’s definitely not my scene. Besides, if there’s anyone I’d want to torture, it’d be _only_ you Ka-ka-shi,” she said sweetly.

Teasingly, “I didn’t know how deeply you felt about me. There’s no need to pull my pigtails to get my attention, we’re not academy students anymore... But what would poor Sasuke-kun think?”

Sputtering, “Wh-what are you talking about? You’re such an idiot!”

A deep chuckle erupted as he felt a crumpled paper ball bounce off his head. 

“That could technically count as assault, on the _Hokage_ no less…”

“Oh, I’ll show you an _assault._ You know what—"

There was a pause. Thrown off by the sudden silence, Kakashi lifted up the book off his face to check what had distracted her… but then he felt it. That peculiar, empty, dreadful feeling.

_Again._

Before his book fell to the floor, she was on top of him at a startling speed. Straddling his torso and exuding a menacing aura, her right hand clutched a _very_ sharp kunai, driving it down toward his neck. On instinct, his hand intercepted her wrist as adrenaline rushed through his veins. Struggling to keep her hand a steady, safe distance from his carotid artery, his eyes widened at the sight of her other hand molding chakra into… a chakra blade… a _lightning_ chakra blade? 

As she moved to impale his neck once more, his other hand shot up to meet hers, mirroring the lightning release and nullifying it, making the blade fizzle out. Just as quickly, her hands finally joined together, applying more downward force to the kunai as his own hands grabbed both of her wrists, slowing the momentum to a standstill. 

Looking up at her face, “Is there a reason you’re trying to murder me?” he murmured. 

His tone was nonchalant, but his body was tense, his heart hammered in his chest, his mind was racing. How the hell did she use lightning release? Where did this killing intent come from? And what the fuck is this otherworldly chakra? 

Everything about her felt _wrong._ Her green eyes were blank, cold, and dull. She cocked her head, as if amused by _his_ impudence. Long, pink strands cascaded to one side, yet seemed to swell and swirl with chakra as it caught the sunlight. He was still struggling to steady the kunai above his neck, unnerved by the sheer force behind the act and fully aware that if she used chakra enhanced strength… that would be quite problematic. A cruel smirk marred her face, and he could have sworn her eyes flashed into a clear white.

**_“Attention.”_ **

Her voice was corrupted, a mixture of sweet and familiar, and then something sinisterly foreign. The oppressive, heavy chakra hovering over him nearly crushed the breath out of him. The kunai pierced the fabric of his mask and grazed his skin before he managed to push it a few millimeters back. 

As blood seeped into the cloth around his neck, “Consider this my full, undivided attention.”

**_“It’s coming.”_ **

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as his grip on her wrists tightened. This was a surreal turn of events. If he didn’t know better, he’d think this was a nasty genjutsu or that his nap devolved into his worst nightmare. He experienced a mixture of feelings: bewilderment, anxiety, frustration, curiosity, and overall… _fear._ Not for his safety or well-being, but for the safety and well-being of Sakura. He wouldn’t be able to bring himself to hurt her. But he also could not let anything happen to her, and if she successfully killed him, the consequences would be dire.

“What’s coming?” he asked lowly.

Her smirk faded, almost as if a realization suddenly pained her. She dropped her head lower, leaning her cheek against his hands and sighing as she closed her eyes. Her skin was frigid. Staring back down at him, unshed tears began to well up, juxtaposing her cold gaze.

**_“You’re all going to die.”_ **

Then just as suddenly as it came, that peculiar, empty, dreadful feeling vanished. On top of him was no longer a threat, but Sakura… _his_ Sakura. He let out a long, uneasy breath. The tightly coiled tension within his body dissipated, although a sinking feeling of trepidation burned at the pit of his stomach. He released his hold on her, noting she felt warm again. Her jade eyes illuminated back to life, then widened in surprise. 

Franticly, “Wh-what? Kami… Kakashi! Why am I on top of you? What the hell is going on?!”

The kunai fell to the floor with a loud clatter, “Why did I have a kunai— Why are you hurt?!” Immediately she brought down her palm and tenderly held it against the cut on his neck, healing it to the point that not even a scar would materialize. 

In a poor attempt to defuse the tension, “Well… You sure showed me. That certainly was an _assault…”_

She scrambled off of him, scooting to the far end of the couch and coiling up in a ball, lightly rocking back and forth. Shell-shocked. Hyperventilating. 

_Fuck._

Sitting up, he ran his hand through his hair and let out a deep sigh. A million thoughts crossed his mind, but his priority was to make sure she was okay. Scooting right next to her, he tentatively gave her a reassuring squeeze, slowly rubbing his hands up and down her biceps. Initially tensing at the contact, she began to relax against him, although continued to take panicked gulps of air.

“I’m sorry… I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know wha— what happened. I swear—" 

In a soothing, low voice, “It’s okay… It’s okay Sakura-chan. I know you’d never try to hurt me.”

Moaning, “Why? Why, why, _why_ did that happen?”

“Don’t worry about it right now. We’ll figure it out later. You’re fine. You’re safe. _Breathe.”_

Tears started welling up as she looked at him, failing to slow her breathing as sheer terror consumed her, “Ka—Kakashi… I think… I think there’s some— something _wrong_ with _me.”_

She collapsed into his chest, closing her eyes and tightly gripping his vest to ground herself. Desperately trying to reclaim control. Desperately focusing on Kakashi’s heartbeat as a comforting metronome. _Inhale for five seconds._ Hold. _Exhale for five seconds._ Hold. 

Repeat. 

Repeat. 

_Repeat._

Enveloping her in a tight hug, Kakashi was at a loss for words. 

He fucking hated it when he was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a review. Have a nice day!
> 
> _Oiroke no Jutsu: Sexy Technique_


End file.
